Hull structure



Nov. 1, 1932. w. L. HALE 1,885;198

HULL STRUCTURE Filed June 28, 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 11v VENTOR1444225 1. Mn 5 WITNESS A TTORNE VS" Nov. 1, 1932. w. HALE HULLSTRUCTURE Filed June 28, 1930 4 Sheets-Shget 2 WITNESS mwmm Nov. 1,1932. w. L. HALE HULL STRUCTURE Filed Jun 28, 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet 5INVENTOR P/fl/P/PfA/L #4 45 A TTORNE YS WITNESS 5m w. L. HALE HULLSTRUCTURE Nov. 1, 1932.

' Filed June 28, 195a 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR Patented Nov. 1, 1932UNITED STAT ES. .PATENT OFFICE WARREN L. HALE, OF EASTHARTFORD,CONNECTICUT, ASS IGNOR 'I'O #ALE MARINE CORPORATION, OI NEW YORK, N. YL,A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK HULL STRUCTURE Application filed June as,1930. Serial No. 464,483.

nature, presence or absence of motive power.-

The princinal purpose is to very greatly reduce the weight and cost andat the same .time greatly increase the strength, durability, and speedinproportion to engine power ofhulls of characteristically woodenconstruction as compared with previous types of wood hulls, and this. isaccomplished principally instead of the usual planking, an outercovering or shell consisting of a very small number of sheets or panelssuitably coated with waterproof plastic material and firmly secured tothe frame at a multiplicity of points by bolts or rivets, so that thereare in the entire skin or shell structure an exceedingly small number 7of joints or seams,.and the completed hull is a practically unitary,stable and approximately stiff bu resilient structure, as compared withthe common types of wood hulls in which there is no adequately complete,rigid, or self-sustaining frame aside from the connection of parts suchas keel or keelson,

bulkheads, ribs, etc., to the multiplicity of planks, and which aretherefore relatively unstable and undesirably flexible, heavy, expensiveand perishable.

Metal hulls will not be further referred toat length since they areradically distinct from typically wood structures and for any comparableclasses of craft involve some or all of the disadvantages of greaterweight, cost, deterioration by corrosion, etc.,'as well understood bymarine designers. This com-.

ment applies especially to vessels of motorboat dimensions.

The improved hull difi'ers' radically from existing wood structures,which in general principles of design have notchanged in any fundamentalrespect since ancient times, principally because the planked wood hullconsisting of a multiplicity'of separate planks or strakes with acorresponding immense total length of caulked seams, depends uponwatersoaking and swelling of the planking for water-tightness and to agreat extent for strength and stability, and is at the same time subjectto various disadvantages, resulting from water-logging or excessivesoaking, such as increase of hull weight and loss of speed, so that(noticeably in a speed boat) the speed is immensely-decreased byexcessive absorption of water, and in Wood boats of any class,deterioration commences practically immediately and. progresses rapidly,requiring constant repairs es'pecially caulking to prevent leakage andpractical disintegration;

While in my construction the complete shell proper consists of animmensely smaller number of practically integral or unitarypiecespractically only five, with practically only four seams, whichrequire no repair or other attention for indefinite lengths of time, andno caulked seams whatever in the ordinary sense;

As otherwise described, planked boats, being dependent on water soakingfor tightness, are of variable weight, lack sufiicient rigidity, and aresubject to an indefinite extent to twisting and bending (a phenomenonusually referred to as weaving) and these disadvantages are greatlyincreased by the modern practice of using high powered engines and highspeeds, so that the strains caused by engine vibration and wave impactsbring about rapid deterioration and especially require caulkingpractically after every cruise of a utility boat, while speed boatsrequire constant attention. In contrast to this, the improved boat is apractically rigid and permanently stable structure (althoughsufficiently resilient to resist strains without breakage); is notd'epehdent at all upon water soaking for water tightness or structuralstability, as there are only. three longitudinal seams or joints andthese are praca ing on the frame.

structure the total seam length is hardly more than one hundred feet.

The old structures are moreover such that individual fabrication byhighly skilled labor is a practical essential, since the planks orstrakes must be individually matched to the rib contour or mold form ofthe hull and shaped in situ by elaborate operations, and mass orinterchangeable construction is practically impossible, while in theinvention design all parts of the hull including the frame consistingprincipally of bulkheads, ribs, battens and keelson, and the shellconsisting of a small number of sheets or panels, for any selecteddesign and dimensions of hull, may be produced in quantities on a massproduction and interchangeable plan, as in automobile manufacture, andthe hulls may be assembled at oneor a number of convenient locations andnot necessarily at the site of production of the individual parts,

and by relatively unskilled labor, so that the great reduction in cost,amounting in many cases to as'much as 50%, is due in great part to themethods of manufacture and assembly and reduction in labor costpermitted by the improved design.

The sheets or panels constituting the shell or skin structure arepreferably laminar, or of the nature of ply wood, consisting of aplurality of sheets of any suitable woods with the grain in adjacentsheets in crossed relation, connected by a suitable adhesive materialand molded to proper shapes before plac- Sometimes, and especially inthe claims, the shell pieces will be referred to as molded sheets orpanels, and this means more particularly that the sheets as applied tothe frame are made to conform with the predetermined shape of the hull,although also the panels may be in one convenient method of production,be pre-shaped in a mold or press.

These shell panels are therefore much stronger and tougher, and moreresistant to all normal strains and collision impacts than single ordouble planking of much greater thickness and Weight and require nocaulking. If any number of the lamina less than all in a panel arecracked or broken there will be no leakage and unless the parts brokenor torn away are of large area; the structural strength is notmaterially impaired; also damaged parts may be cut out and new piecespatched or spliced in to restore the panel to practically originalstrength and appearance.

Preferably, although not necessarily in all cases, a layer ofwaterproofing material d stinct from the wood or ply-wood laminae of thepanels is applied on the inside of the shell and this layer orwaterproof coat is, applied to the inside face of the first wood laminabefore the same is set. Thisinner or lining'coat may be of variousplastic materials, such as a cellulose compositlon or other suitablematerial having waterproofing functions.

On the outer surface of the panels a layer of suitable thickness of a material'or composition other than natural wood is applied, and this ispreferably a plastic compositiom. such as the material generally knownas plastic wood, or cellulose or asbestos with a binder. One suitablecomposition consists of wood flour or asbestos flour, silica, acetone,toluoland alcohol.

In those cases in which the plastic layer is applied to the panels as apart of the panel fabricating and molding operations and the panels arebored to receive the fastening rivets, the surface layer may be cut awayor counterbored to enable the rivet or bolt heads to be seated againstthe outer face of the outer wood lamina and fresh plastic material ofthe same character maythen be applied to fill up the holes in thesurface layer,

facing treatment the following are mentioned: A durable and reliableprotecting and waterproof surface is provided for the ply-wood, whichmakes the use of the latter possible inithe type of water craft to whichthis invention more particularly relates. The compositions may beproduced in any desired color so that in many cases painting isunnecessary. Scratches or other minor injuries are relativelyunnoticeable and scratched portions may be rubbed or scraped down andvarnished, or major injuries may be repaired by application of newplastic. Suitable coating layers including some of those mentioned aretougher and stronger than wood of the same thickness and the outer layeris therefore Very resistant to injuries and adds to the structuralstrength of the shell, and of course is completely waterproof so thatthere is no possibility of leakage or absorption of atmospheric moisturethrough the skin.

The present structure is especially well suited to V-bottom models andis so repre:

ios

sented in the structure chosen as a specific I show representativeembodiments. After frame in one form.with shell panels com-f the stempoststructure ready for placing( considering these examples, skilledpersons Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a boat em-v bodyingthe inventioninone form.

Fig. 2 is a top plan. v 7 Fig. 3 is a perspective of the completed'pleted. and located in approximately correct positions, readyforapplication to the frame.

Fig. 4, is a side elevation of the bow por- 'tion oftheframe prior toplacing of the,

side and bottom panels and with one part of Fig.5 is a similarview'showing the side and bottom panels applied and the outer ,orcut-water portion of the stem post ready for placing.

Fig. 6 the stemconstruction.

Fig. 7 is a section at 77, Fig. 5.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of akeel connecting or filler piece.

Fig. 9 is a section at 9-9,' Fig. 2. 1

Fig. 10 is an enlarged detail section at any one of several longitudinallocations, of the parts adjacent the chine line.

Fig. 11 is a similar'section showing a modified construction.

Fig. 12 is a transverse section of the bottom structure.

Fig. 13 is a fragmentary, perspective and sectional detail of a shellpanel. 4 a

Fig. 14 is a' similar view of a modified panel structure.

The frame 1 is shown in practically complete condition in Fig. 3, exceptthat the bulkheads are there omitted to avoid obscuring other parts. Itincludes (see also Figs. 4 to 7 and 9 to 12). a keelson 2 extendingpractically the entire length of the hull, any desired number ofbulkheads 3, bottom ribs 4 extending from the keelson to the-chine line,and side ribs 6 extending from the chine to the tops of the sides.Preferably,-the ribs in boththe bottom and the sides of the hull arealternately sawed and bent to shape, providing in the one case for thedesired contour and in the other, greater strength. On the bottom,longitudinal battens 7 are placed, preferably so close together as toprovide practically a sub-planking, but also preferably, as shown,'w-iththeir adjacent edges spaced-slightly apart'sufficient to prevent anydistortion of the hull shape which might or bronze rivets.

otherwise be caused by wetting and swelling of the battens. On the sidesare other longitudinal battens such as 8 and 9 which may be of differentsuitable widths and may be spaced farther apart than the bottom battens.The battens are secured is an enlarged detail plan view of tothe ribs bycopper The stem structure may be varied, but in a preferred form forlarger. craft, as shown, it consists principally of three stripsor-plates of angle metal, including an inner piece 10,-

intermediate piece 11 and outer piece-or cutwater 12, of which only'theouter piece need be, preferably, of brass or bronze, while the othersmay be of steel or iron. In smaller crapt the inner piece 10 may bedispensed wit 1.

bottom battens as in Figs. 4 and 6 and thereafter the intermediate piece11 is applied and secured by bolts over the ends ofthe battens,

which are cut away or dapped to allow for intermediate piece 11 and thefront faces of v with waterproof 35 the battens 8 is shown filledmaterial 20a similar to that used at 20.

The stern structure may vary. As shown, it includes stern posts orcorner posts 13 with battens 14 secured thereon or in some cases thesemay be continuations of the side battens.

As so far described, and practically as shown in Fig. 3, the frame is ofapproximately rigid, complete and self-sustaining form and is ready toreceive the shell panels which take the place of planking. For a boat ofthe shape shown, these may be only five in number including two bottompanels 15, two side panels 16 and a stern panel 17, each consisting of aplurality of sheets 18 of suitable wood or ly wood adhesively associatedand shaped either in a moldor press to the desired mold form orsimultaneously with" their application to the frame. Preferably on theinner face of the inner wood-ply of each panel is a layer 19 of suitablewaterproofing material such as one of those previously referred to,which is applied to the wood-ply'before the same is mounted on theframe. Preferably also, on the outer surface 1 of the-panels I provide alayer 20 of suitable plastic material or composition such as one ofthose above referred to. In any case the panels are fastened at amultiplicity of points by rivets 21 passing through the ribs andbattens, and having rivet heads 22 engaging the ply wood 18, and coveredand concealed by application of plastic material, the same as the skinlayer 20.

The keel 28 which may be in one piece, or

as shown in Fig. 1, of two pieces 23 and 24, serves ordinary keelfunctions especially to protect the bottom and act as. a longitudinalbeam reenforcing the keelson, and it also serves to close and protectthe narrow space along the bottom at the adjacent edges of the bottompanels 15. The 'upperface of the keel is V-shaped as at 26, the angle ofthe channel varying along its length in accordance with that of thepanels. Preferably a 13 0 The inner piece 10, when used, is 75 bolted tothe forward ends of the side and 28. The keel is secured by any suitablenumher of bronze bolts 29 passing through the keel or keel pieces andthe keelson. n the smaller type of boats the keel may obviously bedispensed with.

The longitudinal joints between the side and bottom panels are finishedas follows:'

As in. Fig. 10, a sealing or finishing strip 30, which may be a bronzecasting, is applied over the meeting edges of the panels and is securedby bolts 31 passing through 1t and through strips or blocks 32 placedbetween the ribs. In some cases 32 ma be a continuous strip similar tothe chine log customarily employed in V-hottom hulls; otherwise thepieces 32 may be simply filler pieces acting as abutments for the nuts.The strip 30 has a part-circular or rounded outer contour and .its innerface is of substantial V-forni and has at the edges shallow inwardlyprojecting ribs or beads 33, which, when the nuts are tightened, biteinto the outer coating of plastic material and make a perfectlywatertight joint.

For smaller boats, or in cases where less strength is required, thechine finish may be as shown in Fig. 11, in which strips or blocks suchas 32 are not depended on as a part of the outer oint structure, whichconsists of an angle strip 34 of bronze or copper overlying a gasketstrip 35 similar to snap 27 previously mentioned; and the statedcstripsare secured by screws 36 passing through half round bronze mouldingstrips 37 overlying strip 34 at its edge margins. The screws need notpenetrate deeper than part-way through the battens.

The seam between side and bottom edges of the stern panel 17 and therear edges of the side and bottom panels may be finished substantiallyas in either Fig. 10 or 11.

Preferably, a separate keel piece or filler block 38 (Figs. 5, 7 and 8)is placed at the front end of the keel 23. This may be wood, or a bronzecasting, and has a contour corresponding to the keel, that is it fitsthe V-form of the bottom and tapers to an edge 39 at the front end andis secured as by one or more bolts 40 to the keelson. Preferably, theaft end 41 of the filler piece is slanted ofl rearwardly, as shown inFig. 5, to prevent lodging of weed, etc. The outer stem piece orcutwater 12 is then applied with its lower end overlapping the front endof the filler piece and secured by rivets.

The advantages of the structure and its radical distinction fromprevious forms have been sufiiciently referred' to inthe generaldescription.

The order of operations in assembling the hull may be variedconsiderably. In describing the structure one order of operation hasbeen quite fully explained- For boats of any reasonable size it isusually preferred to perform the earlier operations while the hull is ininverted position, and this may be done on a runway or continuousconveyor for most economical mass production, as practiced in the motorvehicle art. When started in inverted position a suitable number ofbulkheads and the inner stem piece 10 are set up in a suitable orerecting frame; the side battens and sawed ribs are inserted and securedby rivets; the keelson is placedbet ween the ends of the bottom ribs;the bent ribs are placed and secured, then the bottom subplanking; theintermediate stein piece 11 is placed and secured; the bottom panels areapplied and secured by rivets and the keel is set in place and boltedthrough to the keelson. The boat is then turned right side up to rest onits keel, the side panels and stern panel are attached and cutwater 12is placed and secured by its bolts. The edge or joint finish at thechines and stern may be applied at any convenient time after the panelsare placed and before or after the hull is turnedto upright position. i

These improved hulls may be built with strength and durability greatlysuperior to existing forms and at considerable saving in .both Weightand cost over other types.

I claim:

1. A boat hull comprising a substantially complete and self-sustainingframe, and a shell secured thereon and consisting of a small number ofpre-formed panels of the general character of wood, the frame includinga keelson, ribs and longitudinal battens, and a stem structurecomprising a plurality of angular stem strips, one of which is securedto the keelson and battens, an intermediate one is secured over theforward ends of the battens, and an outer one constituting the cutwateris secured over the front margins of certain of the panels.

2. A boat hullromprising a substantially complete and self-sustainingframe, and a shell secured thereon and consisting of a small number ofpre-formed panels of the general character of wood, the frame includinga keelson, ribs and longitudinal battens, and a stem structurecomprising a plurality of angular stem strips, one of which is se- 3. Aboat hull comprising a substantially complete frame including bulkheads,ribs, longitudinal battens and a keelson, and a shell consisting of asmall number of 'pre molded laminar panels secured tothe frame byrivets, each vpanel being constituted ofmae terial of the order of plywood coated at least on the .Water side thereof with a hardenedwaterproof plastic of the plastic wood type, said panels includingbottom panels having adjacent longitudinal edges, a waterproofing fillerbetween the edges, a keel having an upper contour to fit the panelmargins, and bolts securing the keel to the keelgitudinalstrip'overlying the panel margins at' the meeting edges andsecured tothe frame structure.

5. A boat hull comprising a substantially I complete frame includingbulkheads, ribs, longitudinal battens and a keelson, and a completeframe including bulkheads, ribs,

shell consisting of a small number of premolded laminar panels securedto the frame by rivets, the panels including side and botp tom panelsmeeting at a chine line, and a longitudinal metal strip contoured to fitthe panel margins, the strip having bead edges biting into the skinmaterial of the panels, and bolts securing the strip" in position.

6. A boat hull comprising a substantially longitudinal battens and a.keelson, and a shell consisting of a small number ofpremolded laminarpanels secured to the frame by rivets, the panels including side andbottom panels meeting at a chine line, and a longitudinal metal stripcontoured to fit the panel margins, the strip having bead edges bitinginto the skin material-of the panels,

bolts passing through the strip and panel edges, and interior blocksthrough which the bolts pass and acting as abutments for the bolt nuts.v

7 A V-bottom type boat comprising'a substantially stable frame and ashell secured to the frame by rivets, the shell proper consistlarge areaand the sides and'bottom consisting of only fourlongitudinal panels, the

panels being of laminar structure ofthe'general character of ply wood.

8. boat hull comprising a substantially complete and self-sustainingframe, and a shell having the partsthereof closely inter-' fitted andsubstantially free of absorbed water secured thereon and consisting of asmall number of panels of the general character of ply-wood having onthe water-side thereof a continuous coating of a hardened waterproofplastic of the plastic wood type. 9.

boat hull comprising a substantially complete and self-sustaining frame,and a shell secured thereon and consisting .of a

small number of laminar-molded panels having'on the water-side 'thereofa continuous coatingof a hardened waterproof plastic of the plastic woodtype. r

10. A boat hull comprising a substantially complete andself-sustainingframe including transverse r1bs and long tudinal battens,

and ashell secured directly to such battens to form a rigid structurewith'the parts composing the frame, and consisting of a small number ofply-wood panels and having on the water-side thereof a continuouscoating I ofa hardenedwaterproof-plastic ofthe plastic wood type. 11. Aboat hull comprising a substantially complete and self-sustaining frameincluding transverse ribs and longitudinal battens, and a shell rivetedto said battens and having on the water-side thereof a continuouscoating of a hardened waterproof plastic of the plastic wood 'typecovering the rivet heads.

12. A boat-hull as set forth in claim 10 hav- 1 ing a layer ofwaterproofing material of the plastic wood type on the inner face oftheanels.

acter of wood, anda continuous coating of plastic wood onthe outer facesof the panels.

14. A boat hull comprising a substantially acter of wood, certainlongitudinal panel 13. A boathullcomprising a substantially .completeand self-sustaining frame, and a shell secured thereon and consisting ofa small number of panels of the general charjoints being finished byexternally applied metal strips, and a filler block fitted against a theadjoining inner faces of the frame sections meeting at the joint.

15. A boat hull comprising a substantially complete and self-sustainingframe, and a shell secured thereon and consisting of a smallqnumber ofpanels of the general character of wood, certain longitudinal paneljoints being finished by externally applied V ing of a small number ofpanels of relatively metal Stnps wlth Water-proofing fibrous packingbetween the strips and the panel faces, and a filler block fittedagainst the ad joining inner faces of the" frame sections free ofabsorbed moisture, and a coatingof a fibrous waterproof plastic of theplastic wood type on said panels.

17. boat hull comprising a substantially complete and self-sustainingframe, and a shell secured thereon and comprising four panels, two suchpanels forming the bottom of the hull and meeting at the keelson, andthe othertwo of said panels forming the sides of the hull and meetingthe first mentioned panels at the chine, each of said panels consistingof ply-wood coated at least on the water-side thereof with a continuouscoating of a hardened waterproof plastic of the plastic wood type.

18. A boat hull comprising a substantially complete and self-sustainingframe, and a shell secured thereon and comprising five panels, two ofsuch panels forming the bottom of the hull, two of such panels formingthe sides of the hull, and meeting the first mentioned two panels at thechine, and the fifth panel forming the stern of the hull, each of saidpanels consisting of ply-wood coated at least on the water-side thereofwith a continuous coating of a hardened waterproof plastic of theplastic wood type.

19. A boat hull comprising a substantially complete and self-sustainingframe, a shell secured thereon and consisting of a small number ofpanels of the general character of ply-wood coated at least on thewater-side thereof with a hardened waterproof plastic of the plasticwood type, the frame including a keel, ribs and longitudinal battens, aoutwater at the bow of the hull, and a filler piece between the frontend of the keel and the lower end of the cutwater.

20. A boat hull of the general V-bottom type comprising a substantiallycomplete and self-sustaining frame, and a shell secured thereon andconsisting of a small number of pro-formed panels of the generalcharacter of wood, the frame including a keelson, ribs and longitudinalbattens, and a stem structure comprising a plurality of angular stemstrips, one of, which is secured to the keelson and battens, anintermediate one is secured over the forward ends of the battens, and anouter one constituting the cutwater is secured over the front margins ofcertain of the panels.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

WARREN L, HALE.

